Chinese New Year and Road Safety - 5 Safety Tips

Safety first!

Chinese New Year is a time for a reunion. It is a joyous occasion for merrymaking, feasting, and sharing happy moments together. People are in high spirits and they are relaxed. However, when you are driving on the road you should adopt a different attitude. Here are the 5 essential safety tips:

1. Defensive driving: Your mood should not be the same as the time when you are with your friends and family members. Your attitude while driving should be in anticipation of hazards that loom ahead of you. Be on the lookout for moving objects on both sides of the read. Look at the rearview mirror to check the situation of the vehicles behind you. Obey the speed limit. Sooner or later you are going to reach home. Better be safe than sorry.

2. Full concentration: You can’t be excited by talking to people you are about to meet soon on the cell phone. You also can’t be happily chatting away with your passengers in the car about seeing friends and meeting family members back home. You need to concentrate fully on the road. By talking and chatting you are only paying half your attention to the road. As you know, at this time, the highway is full of vehicles. They are all rushing home just like you.

3. Sufficient sleep: Because Chinese New Year is around the corner. You let your hair down and you paint the town red. By the time you return home, it's already 4 am in the morning. You know very well at 7 you are going to hit the road. Are you able to drive safely home with just three hours of sleep?

4. Upkeep of vehicle: Service your car and check the condition of your tires before you go on a long trip home. You don’t want to be stranded on the road high and dry. Nobody is going to repair your car during the festive holiday.

5. Take breaks: When you work, you often take breaks, maybe just a quick tea break in the afternoon to refresh yourself so you can continue to work with your fullest concentration. Likewise, take frequent breaks along the way. Get out of your car to breathe in the fresh air and relax.

Today is the eve of the Chinese New Year. I wish all readers a very happy Chinese New Year. And for those hitting the road, I wish them 一路顺风（yi lu shun feng）- a safe journey all the way.